Kirk Cousins Absent From Falcons OTAs Amid NFL Trade Rumors, Raheem Morris Says

As Kirk Cousins continues to wait for a trade that will give him an opportunity to start in 2025, the veteran quarterback is not with the Atlanta Falcons at the start of organized team activities.

Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed on Tuesday that Cousins is not at the team's facilities with Michael Penix Jr. set to work with the first-string offense.

Tight end Kyle Pitts was also absent for the team's start of OTAs, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

There was some thought early in the offseason that the Falcons might simply release Cousins rather than keep him on the roster when his $10 million roster bonus for 2026 became guaranteed on March 17.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank reportedly told Cousins in a meeting prior to that deadline they had no intention of releasing him.

Morris told reporters in April that Cousins' camp has "clearly communicated" to the Falcons that he would like the opportunity to be a starter and if a trade offer "that’s good for both of us" presents itself, they would have no problem doing it.

Cousins' situation is complicated by the fact he has a full no-trade clause, so he would have to approve any potential deal. Another problem for interested suitors is the money on his deal.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Saturday on SportsCenter that the Falcons have "not been willing to budge" on eating a portion of the $37.5 million in guaranteed money that Cousins is still owed.

There's also the issue of finding enough teams to create a bidding war for Cousins. The Pittsburgh Steelers are an obvious destination, but Fowler noted they are only interested in him as an alternative if Aaron Rodgers doesn't sign with them.

After the Steelers, though, the pickings are slim. The Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings were cited as potential landing spots if a trade occurred during the draft, but it is unclear if either or both remain as options.

Things can change in a hurry if an established starter suffers a significant injury during OTAs, training camp or preseason and that team wants someone under center who can give it a chance to compete.

Waiting until after June 1 to trade Cousins also comes with significant cap benefits for the Falcons. They will only be on the hook for a $12.5 million dead cap charge and save $27.5 million against the cap in 2025.

Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in March 2024, threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 14 starts last season.

Pitts, meanwhile, is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and could be seeking a new deal, although he has not discussed this publicly. The 2021 first-round pick had 602 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season.